Apparatus for the distribution in succession of sheets of paper labels or similar,assembled piles



Feb. 17, 1910 A. SER'AGNOLI 3,

nrmwus FOR mam msmmu'rrou m succsssrou or sums OF'PAPER LABELS ORSIMILAR, ASSEMBLED FILES Filed Apri115, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

AriosTb 6am nah Feb. 17, 1970 A. SERAGNOLI 3,495,820

- APPARATUS FOR THE DISTRIBUTION IN SUCCESSION 0F SHEETS OF PAPER LABELSOR SIMILAR, ASSEMBLED FILES Filed April 15, 1968 2 Sheets-Shea}. 2

United States Patent G 3,495,820 APPARATUS FQR THE DISTRIBUTION INSUCCES- SlON F SHEETS OF PAPER LABELS 0R SIMI- LAR, ASSEMBLEID PILESAriosto Seragnoli, Via delle Rose 50, Bologna, Italy Filed Apr. 15,1968, Ser. No. 721,530 Claims priority, application Italy, Apr. 20,1967,

,619/ 67 Int. Cl. B6511 3/12 US. Cl. 271-29 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE This disclosure relates to an apparatus for the distributionof a succession of sheets of paper, labels or similar, comprising afixed hopper to receive a pile of sheets of paper, a movable supportbase for said pile, underneath said hopper, circuit means for puttingsaid support base in communication with a suction source for removingthe last of the sheets of papers from the pile; retaining it on thesupport base for a pro-established time period and transferring it tosuccessive stations, in consequence of the movement of said supportbase.

This invention relates to an apparatus for the distribution or thedispensing in succession of sheets of paper, labels and similar,assembled in piles, particularly for the feeding of conditioningmachines in general, paper packaging machines and similar.

The present invention proposes to provide an apparatus for thedistribution of sheets of paper, labels and similar which will be ableto achieve high working speeds thus distributing a high number of sheetsof paper or labels per time unit.

A further object of this invention is to devise an apparatus in whichthe masses subjected to reciprocal movements are reduced in substantialmeasure, thus reducing in consequence the inertia which, in conventionalapparatuses, resulted in the impossibility of achieving satisfactoryworking speeds.

A further object of this invention is to devise an apparatus which willnot require the continual movement of all the sheets of paper grouped inpiles, during the distribution of them in succession. The piles of papercan in fact reach considerable weights, for which in the similarapparatuses a remarkable portion of the. energy re quired for theworking is absorbed by the members which determine the movement of saidpile.

These and other objects, which will be better appreciated from thefollowing, are achieved by an apparatus for the distribution of asuccession of sheets of paper, labels or similar, according to theinvention, which is characterized in that it comprises a fixed hopper toreceive a pile of sheets of papers, a support base for said pile,underneath said hopper and formed of a plane surface support and acylindrical surface having an axis which is parallel and underneath saidplane surface, and being tangential to said plane surface, means capableof translating cyclically, reciprocally and in rigid connectionrelationship said plane and cylindrical surface in a direction which isperpendicular to said axis, means capable of reciprocally rotating saidcylindrical surface about its own axis, in phase with said reciprocaltranslatory movement, circuit means for putting said cylindrical surfacein communication with a suction source, interception members forcyclically obtaining said communication in phase relationship with saidrotation and translation, the cycle comprising the phase of removing thelast of the sheets of papers from the pile, retaining it on thecylindrical surface when said interception members establish thecommunication, transferring it to successive stations, in conicesequence of the translation and rotation, and leaving when thecommunication is stopped.

Further features and advantages will be better apparent from thedetailed description of a preferred embodiment, which is not exclusive,of a distribution apparatus according to the invention, illustratedindicatively and not limitingly in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows the apparatus according to the invention part in view andpart in vertical and longitudinal sections according to differentsectional planes, in its application to a conditioning machine; and

FIG. 2 shows the apparatus of FIG. 1 part in view and part in verticalcross-sections according to different positions.

With reference to the above mentioned figures, there are first of alldescribed the motion means linking and controlling devices for thetransmission of the movement from the primary motion source to theprincipal members. The motorization of such members may be derived, forexample, from the main shaft of a conditioning machine, not shown, orfrom any other source. This machine may be, in order to give an idea, acigarette packing machine. A similar derivation may be obtained forexample by means of a system of transmission chains and chain wheels.The reference numeral 1 is used therefore to indicate a transmissionchain would on a chain Wheel 2 keyed onto a shaft 3, which isconsequently caused to rotate.

With said chain wheel 2, and hence with the shaft 3, is attached acog-wheel 4 which engages with the cogwheel 5, in its turn attached witha further shaft 6. Thus the motorization of the principal shafts 3 and 6has been obtained.

The sheets of paper or labels are piled inside a hopper 7 delimited bythe pairs of plane and parallel walls 8 and 9 and 10, 11. The walls 10and 11 are provided in the proximity of the base, with slide members 12and 13 respectively, regularly positionable by means of locking screws14 and 15 on the body 16 of the apparatus (see FIG. .2). The walls 8 and9 have instead slide members 17 sliding on the guide 18 attached to theslide 13, so as to be able to be distanced according to therequirements, that is definitively according to the dimensions of thesheets of paper. On the guide 18 there are graduated steps 19 and 20which are put in relationship with the pointers 21 which are on themovable slides 17. On the wall 10 is moreover advantageously provided asenser 22 of known type formed for example of a control microswitchmember 2211 in connection with a suitable signaling circuit. This forthe purpose of signaling rapidly the exhaustion of the pile of sheets ofpaper, so that the hopper is recharged.

The bottom base of the hopper is formed of a rotating element. Saidrotating element is supported by a tube 23 parallel to the shaft 3 andsliding transversally to the structure of the machine sliding in thehorizontal slit 24. Onsuch tube is fixed a bracket 25 which supports atthe level of the bottom of the hopper two longitudinally aligned planes26 and 27, which are interspaced in the sense of alignment. The tube 23has a horizontal reciprocal movement, along the slit 24, obtained bymeans of a rod and crank transmission carried out in the fol lowingmanner: to the tube 23 is connected the small end 28 of a connecting rod29 whose big end 30 is eccentrically attached, in 31, to a wheel 32attached to said shaft 3.

Inside the pipe 23 is situated a rotating shaft 33 whose end, providedwith a roller 34, is guided into a horizontal groove 35 parallel to saidslit 24. At the opposite end of the shaft 33, outside the structure ofthe apparatus, isattached the hub 36 of a sector wheel 37 whichconsequently rotates in rigid relationship with the shaft 33.

Peripherally such sector wheel is shaped so as to define a cylindricalwall 38 having a length, or development in the direction of thegeneratrix, substantially corresponding to the transverse length of theplanes 26 and 27. Moreover the same wheel is maintained at a tangent tothe common plane of the planes 26 and 27, in relation to the area inwhich they are distanced, thus constituting in practice a junctionbetween the planes themselves in rela tion to the discontinuity includedbetween them.

The wheel 37 is furthermore provided with a spoke 39 inside which isobtained a cavity which develops radially, said cavity being incommunication at an end with the outside, in 39a in correspondence withthe surface 38, and which at the other end, that is in correspondencewith the hub, connects with the final section of a pipe which will bemore fully described later. On said shaft 33 a cog-wheel 40 isfurthermore rigidly mounted, which meshes with a rack of rectilineardevelopment parallel to that of the slit 24. It may be understood that,by means of the connection of the tube 23, through the connecting rod29, to the wheel 32, a horizontal reciprocal translational movement ofthe shaft 33 is obtained, and thus of the bracket 25, of the planes 26and 27 and also of the wheel 37. Simultaneously, by means of theengagement of the cog-wheel 40 with the rack 41, the same shaft 33 isconnected, during said translational movement, to a rotational motionwhich determines the consequent rotation of the segment wheel 37. Thisrotation is with respect to the drawing, anti-clockwise during theadvancement from left to right of the tube 23 inside the slit 24, whileduring the return run the same rotation is clockwise.

A further horizontal coupling 42 moreover connects with the tube 23 anddevelops with respect to the latter, in a parallel direction: it isnamely orientated according to the horizontal translational movement ofthe tube 23. The coupling 42- is co-axial and external with respect to apipe 43 connected, through a union 44, to suctions means, not shown, theconnection comprising interception means designed to put the pipe 43cyclically in connection with said suction means. These interceptionmeans will be further described in the following.

The pipe 43 through all its length crosses the coupling 42, crossing itin its two sealed ends. Between the coupling 42 and the pipe 43 ismoreover defined a cylindrical cav= ity 44a in communication with theinside of the pipe 43 through a nozzle 45 and in communication also withan annular cylindrical chamber 46 existing between the internal wall ofthe tube 23 and the shaft 33.

Said cylindrical chamber 46 communicates in turn, through a hole 47,with an axial pipe 48 obtained within the shaft 33, said pipe being putin communication with the radial cavity of spoke 39 and hence with theoutside of the apparatus in relation to the cylindrical surface 38, ashas already been seen previously.

Now follows the description of the group of members converging on theshaft 6 and controlled by this.

On the shaft 6 are keyed a roller 50 and a cam 51. Against said roller50 are maintained in elastic engagement the rollers 52, 53 and 54 whichare moreover caused to rotate by the same roller 5 The roller 52 rotatesabout its own shaft 55 carried by a radial arm 56 fixed at one end 57 tothe shaft 58. At the opposite end of said shaft 58 is fixed a radial arm59 to which is connected the end of spiral spring 60 whose other end isfixed in 61 to the fixed frame. Due to such positionings, the roller 52is, in normal positions, in spring-biased engagement with the surface ofthe roller 50, but the pivoting shaft 58 can rotate in contrast to thespring 60, thus permitting a relative spacing between said roller 52 androller 50. The rollers 53 and 54 are mounted on the rocker levers 62 and63 respectively, pivoted on the same cornmon shaft 64 and cooperatingrespectively with the helical springs 65 and 66 which tend to maintainsaid rollers 53 and 54 pressed against the roller 50.

The cam 51 is intended to control the interception members mentionedabove, of the suction circuit. These members comprise a union coupling67 connected to a suction pipe 68 coming from the suction elements, notshown. To such coupling 67 is attached a fixed pipe 69 whose end section70 is positioned cyclically in communication with a section of mobilepipe 71 which, through the union 72 and the tubing 73, is connected tothe union 44 of the pipe 43 previously described.

In order to put the pipes 70 and 71 in cyclical connection, the samepipe 71 is formed inside of a sleeve member 74 sliding held in a fixedseat 75, in co-operation with the compressed helical spring. The axialmovement of such sleeve member 74 is determined by the coupling betweena wheel 77, revolving about the shaft 78 connected with a fork extensionof said member 74, and the cam 51.

The wheel 77 is held in engagement with the profile of the cam 51 by thethrust action of the spring 76.

Thus, due to the rotation of the shaft 6 and the consequent rotation ofthe cam 51, the sleeve or union 74 is connected to an alternate movementinside the seat 75, thereby putting periodically in communication thesuction source with the inside of the pipe 43, and thus after all,through the successive communications previously described, with theoutside of the surface of the sector wheel 37, in correspondence to thespoke 39.

The working of the apparatus is as follows: the pile of sheets of paperor labels is positioned inside the hopper 7, and lays on the movablebottom of the latter. At the beginning of each phase the tube is incorrespondence with the left end of the slit 24, consequently the bottomof the hopper is formed of the plane 27. In such a situat1on, the sectorwheel 37 is positioned in fashion such as to have the exit hole of thesuction pipe practically arranged to correspond with the bottom of thepile, and thus adjacent to the bottom surface of the sheet of paper tobe removed. By means of the rotation of the wheel 32 rigidly connectedto the shaft 3, the rotating element, supported by the tube 23 andattached to it, moves horizontally, while at the same time the sectorwheel 37, turns about its own shaft 33 as a consequence of theengagement of the cog-wheel 40 with the rack 41. Consequently thetranslation of the planes 26 and 27 occurs while the cylindricai surface38 of the wheel 37 effects a rotational movement of translation.Simultaneously, in synchronized phase, the rotation of the shaft 6 andof the cam 51 attached to it causes the longitudinal sliding of thesleeve 74 in its seat 75. The relation of phase is such that, when thespoke 39 is in an almost vertical position, and thus when the suctionpipe flows, as has been said previously, in relationship to the bottomsurface of the label or sheet of paper to be removed, correspondinglythe cam 51 allows the sleeve 74 to move towards the right, under theaction of the spring 76 so as to effect the communication between thepipe 71 and the pipe 70. In this situation, the suction determined bysuction means, not shown, situated above the pipe 68, is transmittedthrough the pipe sections 69, 70, 71, 73, 43, 45 44a, 46, 47, 48 and 39in correspondence with the last sheet of paper of the pile, and thus ofthe sheet to be removed. The vacuum causes the sheet of paper to beretained on the cylindrical surface 38 which carries it along with it inits rotatory-translatory movement. The sheet remains layed flat and iscarried along with it by the wheel 37 until it is transferred inproximity of the region of the transferring roller 50.

At this point, the cam 51 having rotated, the sleeve 74 is pushed backthus interrupting the communication between the pipes 70 and 71, thusceasing the suction which retains the sheet of paper removed from thesurface 38 of the wheel 37. Therefore the sheet of paper is abandonedexactly in correspondence to the roller 50. The roller 50 rotatingattached to the shaft 10, pulls the sheet of paper which passes underthe small rollers 52, 53 and 54 up to the exit of the apparatus ortowards successive work stations.

It has been observed in practice that the apparatus for the distributionof sheets of paper according to the invention perfectly achieves all ofthe predetermined purposes.

In particular, by means of a remarkable reduction of the masses inreciprocal movement, as well as through the use of the wheel 37subjected to a composite movement composed of rotation and translation,it is possible to effect the transfer in succession of single sheets ofpaper removed from a pile of very high speed, maintaining at the sametime perfectly integral the transferred sheet of paper, which is removedfrom the stationary pile.

The apparatus in question may be used in a great many fields whichdemand cyclical distribution of sheets of paper or labels in succession.In particular it has an advantageous application in the conditioningmachines in general having a high speed of production, and particularlyin packing machines, papering machines and similar for cigarettes.

The invention thus conceived may be subjected to numerous modificationsand variations, all lying within the scope of the inventive concept.Moreover all the details are capable of substitution by othertechnically equivalent means.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for the distribution of a succession of sheets of paper,labels or similar, according to the invention, which is characterized inthat it comprises a fixed hopper to receive a pile of sheets of paper, asupport base for said pile, underneath said hopper and formed of a planesurface support and a cylindrical surface, having an axis which isparallel and underneath said plane surface and being tangential to saidplane surface, means capable of translating cyclically, reciprocally andin rigid connection relationship said plane and cylindrical surface in adirection which is perpendicular to said axis, means capable ofreciprocally rotating said cylindrical surface about its own axis, inphase with said reciprocal movement, circuit means for putting saidcylindrical surface in communication with a suction source, interceptionmembers for cyclically obtaining said communication in phaserelationship with said rotation and said translation, the cyclecomprising the phase of removing the last of the sheets of paper fromthe pile; retaining it on the cylindrical surface when said interceptionmembers establish the communication; transferring it to successivestations, in consequence of the translation and rotation, and leaving itwhen communication is stopped.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that saidinterception means comprise a hollow sleeve communicating through saidcircuital means with said cylindrical surface and cooperating witheccentric means so as to slide axially and reciprocally in a fixedsleeve, said fixed sleeve defining inside it a pipe communicating withthe suction source and, cyclically, with said hollow sleeve.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS RICHARD E. AEGERTER, PrimaryExaminer

